LITCHFIELD >> Michael Calabrese was silent, barely acknowledging family members, in the few minutes it took a state’s attorney to ask a judge for a brief continuance in the accused murderer’s upcoming trial.

It’s what Calabrese, apparently, couldn’t keep to himself that landed him at New Haven Correctional Facility facing seven felony counts, including charges that he murdered a 23-year-old Sharon marijuana dealer for drug money last year during a home invasion robbery, then lied to police to insulate himself from prosecution.

Calabrese, sporting a crew cut and a neck tattoo that helped Lucas Vitalis’ mother, Rita, identify him as the alleged triggerman, was back in Litchfield Superior Court on Tuesday. He walked in, his hands shackled in front of him, smirked at his family and gave them a head nod, before prosecuting state’s attorney Dawn Gallo asked Judge James Ginocchio for a short delay so Calabrese’s attorney could review a motion for evidence filed Monday.

Calabrese, of Branford, but originally from Warren, is one of three men charged in the August 2012 slaying that police have portrayed as a botched robbery. Police said Niraj Patel, 26, of Partridge Road, Warren, hatched a “fake” drug deal plot that resulted in Vitalis’ death at his mother’s Cornwall Road home in Sharon.

Police said 25-year-old Hiral Patel acted as Calabrese’s accomplice the night of the murder.

The men have all pleaded not guilty to felony counts of murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree kidnapping, conspiracy to commit home invasion and second-degree hindering prosecution. Police said Calabrese hampered their investigation by giving several misleading statements.

A 26-page arrest affidavit says Calabrese admitted to another inmate in a surreptitiously recorded conversation he murdered Vitalis while trying to help his friend, Niraj Patel, secure money to pay for a lawyer to defend Patel in a drug case.

At about 6 p.m. on Aug. 6, 2012, and Niraj Patel spoke to Vitails by phone minutes before dropping off his cousin and Calabrese near Vitalis’ residence. Calabrese and Niraj Patel waited for Vitalis to finish cutting the grass before pulling bandanas over their faces and barging into the residence. They bound Vitalis’ mother, Rita, in the kitchen with zip ties, while Calabrese, wielding a .40 Ruger, went upstairs and confronted Vitals.

Calabrese said he got into a physical altercation with Vitalis and pistol-whipped him while trying to subdue him. When that didn’t work, Vitalis allegedly lunged at him with a knife, Calabrese shot him twice — at least once in the head.

Downstairs, tied up and helpless, Rita Vitalis heard Calabrese’s final chilling declaration before he fired the fatal shots.

“You brought this on yourself,” Calabrese said, according to the mother’s statement to police.

Calabrese then ransacked the room, breaking glass items while looking for Vitalis’ money stash. When he couldn’t find it, he took $70 in cash out of Vitalis wallet and a small amount of marijuana, and he and Hiral Patel filed out of the residence.

The pair then fled on foot into the woods, disposing the murder weapon — which hasn’t been recovered — in several inches of mud and later meeting up with Niraj Patel at the Sharon Audobon Society.

From there, the men went to an isolated part of Warren, on Wolfe Street, and burned sneakers and clothing, police said.

Those sneakers — a pair of black Nikes with red laces — are believed to have been worn by Calabrese the night of the murder. A photograph of a bloody shoe print that matched the burned sole remnants was found at the scene.

Calabrese originally denied being in Warren or Sharon the day of the murder. He also told investigators he hung out at a friend’s house, but was unraveled after his friend’s sister said she was at work most of the day.

Police said they also have cell phone records — several text messages and phone calls between Niraj Patel and Vitalis — that purportedly show Niraj Patel and Vitalis were “coordinating a drug deal.” GPS data allegedly puts the trio in the area the night of the murder, according to the affidavit.